Latin Extravaganza at the Connors

Parties sometimes come together without much of a reason. Our friend Sandi Levitsky-Connor, who we’ve profiled recently with her Jedi-master empanada making skills, decided to have a mega cooking and eating session at her house and invite a couple of friends over. As it was also my wife’s birthday that week, it also became an occasion for eating cake, which needs no excuses at all.

Sandi, who is a fantastic cook, and loves all sorts of cuisines, decided to make this party Latin themed. Dishes from Puerto Rico, Cuba, Trinidad, Peru, Honduras and Spain were prepared, with the assistance of our friends Eric Eisenbud and Efrain Raices from NJ Les Marmitons.

Green plantains. When you see this on a table, you know what’s coming.

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Our mutual friend and NJ Les Marmitons president Efrain Raices. We badly needed him because you just can’t have a bunch of Jews make Latino food without actual Puerto Rican supervision.

When you’re cooking, you need stuff to munch on. To go with the Latin theme, we had some Manchego and Cabrales cheese, along with caper berries and olives. Sandi also baked several loaves of Olive and Chorizo breads for the occasion.

Just for the record; Efrain’s ethnicity had absolutley nothing to do with his presence nor our need for him to be there. He is not only a talented cook, but a dear, dear friend of mine and the Connors.